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SEIA is the solar energy industry’s go-to source for the latest coverage on solar power, including U.S. and international policy, research and polls, business and financing trends, and more. Our staff strives to support the media covering solar energy issues and guide our members on effective media outreach with clear statements, background materials, news and multimedia resources.

SEIA is committed to informing policymakers, the media, and the American public about the benefits of solar energy for today’s communities, our economy, and our country.

The Southern California desert is now home to the world's largest solar power plant. U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell joined state officials on Monday to open the 550-megawatt Desert Sunlight solar project in the town of Desert Center, Calif., near Joshua Tree National Park. Built by First Solar, the project generates enough electricity to power 160,000 average California homes.

WASHINGTON, DC – In a new report, the Department of Energy (DOE) has highlighted the success of the Loan Programs Office’s solar projects, saying that since it financed its first five utility-scale projects in 2011, 17 additional projects have come on line without the use of loan guarantees. The report coincides with the dedication ceremony of Desert Sunlight, a 550-megawatt (MW) solar project in Riverside County, California.

WASHINGTON, DC – In a move that will increase the use of solar heating in California, the state’s Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has increased the incentive caps in California Solar Initiative's (CSI) Solar Thermal Program for multifamily, commercial, and pool heating systems. Applauding the decision, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) President and CEO Rhone Resch issued the following statement:

WASHINGTON, DC – Pointing to huge growth in the U.S. solar industry, the 2015 edition of the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, produced for the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, was released today. In response to the report, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) President Rhone Resch said:

NRG Energy Inc. will sell solar power directly to consumers in Colorado as part of a push into renewable energy.

NRG, the nation’s largest independent power producer, will join with SunShare LLC to build five so-called community solar projects in Denver and Colorado Springs, the companies said Wednesday. Under this model, anyone can get power from the sun even if they don’t have a good roof for panels.

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In a decision applauded by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today approved a solar-friendly rate for medium and large commercial and industrial customers in both Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and Southern California Edison’s (SCE) service territories.

The Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) today announced that Sean Gallagher, a solar regulatory and government affairs professional from Berkeley, California, has been named its new vice president for state affairs.

Continuing a strong year for the solar industry in Maryland, 15 megawatts (MW) of new capacity were added last quarter, nearly double the previous quarter and nearly triple the same period last year, according to the new quarterly report from GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), released the following statement today in response to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s final determinations against crystalline silicon solar products from China and Taiwan:

Continuing its strong solar progress, North Carolina installed 95 megawatts (MW) of solar PV in Q3, more than all the solar installed in the state in 2010 and 2011 combined and enough to rank the state 3rd nationwide for added capacity, according to the new quarterly report from GTM Research and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). The Solar Market Insight Report found Q3 2014 represented a 172 percent increase over the previous quarter for North Carolina.

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Late last month, the Topaz Solar project achieved full commercial operation with the completion of its final 40-megawatt (AC) phase. This is the first 500-megawatt plus solar farm to come on-line in the U.S. and the largest solar plant on-line in the world.

RevoluSun, Hawaii’s leading solar provider, had a busy week of both empowering others and being honored for leading in environmental stewardship. RevoluSun was awarded the Hawai‘i-Based Company Award at the 12th Annual John Kelly Environmental Achievement Awards held on November 15. As one of the biggest solar companies in Hawaii, RevoluSun is committed to creating cleaner, smarter communities that embrace a sustainable future.

Citing a variety of reasons for the move,Sungevity Inc. will hire 595 people for sales, operations management and design engineering in the next five years. The company still is mulling office properties in the city's central business district and expects to announce a location in early December.

For the fifth year, the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC) ranking exposes differences based on environmental and social justice factors, including water use, worker rights and health & safety on the job.

It’s a bit more unusual to hear a cleantech CEO who seems to sunny about the arrival of a Republican Congressional majority. But that’s the sentiment of Vivint Solar boss Greg Butterfield, who explained his thinking in a phone interview with Fortune.

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Across the country, people will start tuning in today to see how well they've done filling out their brackets for the NCAA basketball tournament. When it comes to making their picks for energy, three out of four Americans have solar going all the way in their bracket.

What is apparent during the time we've been here in Copenhagen representing the U.S. solar industry is that the renewable energy industry has become a force in the climate debate. No longer are we relying on the environmental community to carry our message (which they have done well in the past).

Earlier today, I attended a briefing by U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu in which he announced a new initiative that the administration is launching to expand clean energy technologies in developing countries. This program is a great sign of leadership by the administration given how vocal developing countries have been here at COP15.